The Old Man and the Three The Boston Celtics Episode: Derrick White, Payton Pritchard, Anfernee Simons, and Luka Garza | YM3
Jan 29, 2026
Payton Pritchard, steady Celtics guard known for leadership and consistency. Luka Garza, big man who moved to Boston after Minnesota and college stardom at Iowa. Anfernee Simons, dynamic scorer who learned from Damian Lillard. Derrick White, Celtics two-way, storyteller and podcast creator. They trade wild training-camp tales, reactions to joining Boston, Joe Mazzulla’s intense coaching, locker-room culture, role shifts after trades, and memorable playoff and rookie stories.
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Episode notes
Early-Morning Grind Stories
- Luka describes grinders driving three hours to guard him in early-morning workouts, showing extreme dedication from fringe players.
- Derrick joked players in Denver offered to pay him to train, illustrating how White's work attracted disciplined competition.
A Football-Style Meeting Culture
- Luka and Payton note Boston's film and meeting approach feels like football with added layers of detail and structure.
- They credit that daily focus and no-waste meetings for the organization's consistent winning culture.
Mazzulla's 'War Zone' Training
- Luka and teammates recount Joe Mazzulla's intense training drills, including a 12-minute war-zone zigzag session with machine-gun sounds.
- They describe coaches being made to run and the camp's high-intensity accountability culture.
